Delhi Riots Case: In a significant development related to the Delhi riots case, activist Umar Khalid decided to withdraw his request for bail from the Supreme Court. This decision came shortly after the court delayed another hearing regarding his petition for bail. Representing Khalid, distinguished lawyer Kapil Sibal explained that a shift in the situation prompted the withdrawal of the bail plea.
Umar Khalid, a former scholar from Jawaharlal Nehru University, has been incarcerated for over three years. Arrested in September 2020, he faces accusations of engaging in a criminal conspiracy during the Delhi riots, as per the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
After unsuccessful attempts to secure bail from the Delhi High Court in October 2022 and a lower court in Karkardooma in March 2022, Khalid turned to the Supreme Court on April 6, 2023. Despite being cleared in a separate case related to stone pelting in December 2022, his continued detention is due to the charges under the UAPA.
The Supreme Court first took up Khalid’s bail plea on May 18 of the previous year. A panel, consisting of Justices AS Bopanna and Hima Kohli, issued a notice to the Delhi Police regarding the petition. However, there has been minimal discussion on this matter subsequently.
Over the span of ten months since filing a special leave petition with the Supreme Court, Khalid’s plea for bail has seen fourteen postponements. At least four of these delays were requested by Khalid’s legal team, sometimes in agreement with the Delhi police. The Supreme Court itself was responsible for delaying the proceedings on six occasions. Moreover, logistical issues caused at least two more delays, with an additional postponement requested by the Delhi police.
